"It's time for Canada to boldly go where no country has gone before," notes
a nearly 10,000-strong Facebook fan page that supports the idea.

"Imagine Mr. Shatner reading the speech from the throne in that classic
Captain Kirk style we have all come to know and love."

While the Facebook fan page is still relatively small, it has grown by more
than 6,000 members in the past 24 hours.

Support for a potential GG Shatner exists in the wider world, too. Canadian
news site TheMarkNews.com ran an unofficial poll gauging support for 13
would-be governors general. Shatner led the race with a commanding 43% of
the vote. Rick Hansen trailed a distant second at 11%, with Leonard Cohen in
third at 10%.

The idea of a Shatner-run Canada, at least in title, has even reached the
big man himself. Shatner took to social-networking site Twitter on
Tuesday to address the idea.

"I'm being drafted by various groups to run for Governor General. Would they
accept me if I campaign for salmons' rights? My best, Bill," he wrote to
nearly 250,000 followers.

But only a year ago, Shatner dismissed the idea out of hand, arguing he
never liked the idea of symbolic power, opting instead for the real thing:
Shatner for prime minister.

In a February 2009 post on YouTube, Shatner said that while prime minister
was an attractive position, he simply didn't have the time.

"Governor general is a ceremonial role. I didn't want to be ceremonial, I
wanted to be active." he says in the video. "I'm part of Canada."

"But no time to be prime minister."

Speculation about who will fill the shoes of Michaelle Jean has been
intensifying across Canada since it was reported Prime Minister Stephen
Harper would not be extending her term as governor general.

While some insiders believe the new appointment might not happen until the
fall, others believe a new governor general could be appointment as early as
July 1. This would allow the Queen herself to swear in the new governor
general during her nine-day tour of Canada, slated to start June 28.